


Faded Blue - Voltron

by 20jld06



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Aliens, Angst, Blade of Marmora Keith (Voltron), Fights, Fluff, Homesick Lance (Voltron), Homesickness, Insomnia, Kidnapping, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-13 07:14:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 7,741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29398209
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/20jld06/pseuds/20jld06
Summary: What happens when the blue paladin is captured by the enemy? Will the once captivating glint in his eyes slowly fade away...?-Warning: scenes of torture, PTSD, panic attacks, gruesome(blood)
Relationships: Allura/Lance (Voltron), Hunk/Lance (Voltron), Hunk/Shay (Voltron), Keith/Lance (Voltron), Keith/Shiro (Voltron), Lance & Pidge | Katie Holt, Lance/Shiro (Voltron)
Kudos: 38





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys, on top of this fanfiction I am also writing a BananaFish one, so updates are a bit all over the place haha. I really hope you enjoy - Jess

"Alright team, listen up!" Demanded the black paladin, his voice letting the others know he wasn't messing around. Ever since they'd found out the Galran race had begun kidnapping innocent families, enslaving, and torturing them, they knew in an instant that as the Paladins of Voltron, they had to do something about it.

Shiro walked them through the intricate plan he'd spent all his waking hours coming up with. The young paladins latched onto every word leaving their team leaders lips, nodding their heads along to each sentence he spoke. 

The eldest paladin explained how Pidge and Hunk would lead around the back of the Galran ship, find the control room which was, thankfully, located on the very first floor. Hunk could take out the guards while Pidge worked on disabling the cells holding prisoners, using her tech skills on Galran technology.

During this, Shiro had assigned himself the task of attacking the front of the enemies space transport, while Allura used one of the few fighter jets left in the Altean castle to help by his side. "We'll be creating the diversion." He explained further, "while Keith and Lance sneak through the side entrance and gather all the hostages being held in the prisons. Hopefully by the time you've arrived there, Pidge and Hunk will have disabled the cell doors." 

Lance let out an audible groan, his posture slouching and nostrils flaring slightly, "why do I always get assigned with the mullet?" 

"For Christ sake Lance this is serious." Keith bit back, his arms folding over his chest while tilting his chin to the side in frustration, "it's not like I wanna be stuck with you, either."

The black paladin used his non-Galra tech hand to rub the bridge of his nose, eyes shutting as he already began to regret pairing them together in the first place.   
"Your lions are the most compatible in this situation, Lance." He explained as calmly as he could, yet the frustration could be heard among the edge to his voice, "you both have speed, and while the red lion is admittedly a lot stronger, the blue lion is noticeably more agile, which, in this case, is necessary in order for you both to sneak around the side. Got it?"

Lance nodded rapidly, aware that pressing on the situation further would only cause the team to be thrown off, which was the last thing any of the nervous paladins needed at a moment like this. The blue paladin never meant to blurt things like that out, it just sort of... happened from time to time. 

The Cuban was used to living in a small house with a big family, where everyone fought to even get a word in as they never hesitated to all talked at once. Maybe that's where his driven trait of blurting out whatever he could, whenever he could, came from. Yet it hadn't exactly proved to be useful during his time so far as a 'saviour of the universe...' 

"If you stick to the plan that Shiro has initiated, then it should all run smoothly, paladins." Alluras voice chirped up, hands clasped at the front of her body. "Coran will be staying here, making sure that all medicinal and hospitality equipment is prepared for the families that we will be saving." 

She said it as thought it was something she'd manifested, and was certain there would be no wrong moves made during the mission.

And oh, how they could only wish that were true.  
-


	2. Chapter 2

"Goodness!" A voice rung out amongst the crowd of families quivering in the corner of their place of forceful confinement. "Could it really be? Are we really saved?" 

The woman's voice cracked as she spoke, her hand reaching through the bar as though the two paladins who stood before them could be illusions, figments of her hopeful imagination. But when her fingers brushed over the warming armour of the blue paladin, she stumbling backwards, eyes wide in shock and delight. 

"We're here to save you ma'am." The blue paladin claimed proudly, grin giddy towards the fact Shiros plan so far had worked. Pidge and Hunk had successfully snuck to the back, and gave the red and blue warriors the signal to show they could enter through the side of the Galran ship. 

The red paladin grunted as he began to pull the stiff bars back from their position, finally allowing the hostages amongst each family to stumble free, mouths open and gawking as they hurried past their saviours. 

"Everyone head toward the blue lion." Keith ordered, pointing ahead, signaling towards Lances lion, whom had opened her mouth, inviting all the eascapees inside. "When there's no room left, begin to split up and head for the red lion."

The usual roughess was shown within his voice, stern and overpowering as always, yet Lance could detect the smile on his face through the way his eyes crinkled as they watched the prisoners run free, contagious smiles on each of their faces. 

Lance absentmindedly placed his hand on Keiths shoulder, large grin on his own face as he ushered the families forwards. "We did it!" He cheered, pumping his free fist in the air while shuffling around like a young boy on Christmas morning, "when i say you Vol, you say"- 

"Oi!" A voice barked from behind the two, cutting Lance off from his infamous chant. The Cubans heart dropped, frozen in his position. This wasn't part of the plan. Shiro and Allura were suppose to be distracting the Galra, while the ones remaining in the ship were taken out by Hunk and Pidge...

But as one paladin froze, his team mate jumped into action, already on his feet and sparring the enemy with forceful blows.   
"Lance! Make sure all the people we saved are on the lions!" He yelled out with a grunt, managing to snap Lance from his invading thoughts. 

The paladin nodded rapidly, ushering the remaining families onto the ship. Lance needed them to get on, his heart was hammering inside his chest as he tried to keep all the seperated families together. They needed to stay together, that was Lances priority right now. After being separated from his own beloved kin, he couldn't bare the thought that these poor aliens may be torn apart from their own people too. 

Eventually, Lance sighed in releif as the last person piled into the red lion, stumbling inside and thanking the blue paladin with hands clasped over his chest. "Thank you, brave one." He'd praised, tears brimming at the corner of his eyes, "you're truly valued in this universe." 

Valued in this universe.   
That had caught Lance off guard slightly, pride swelling inside his own chest. He'd never been one to think he was of importance to anything, let alone a value of the universe. 

The blue paladin felt an undeniable grin tug at his lips as he recoiled himself from the lions, only to turn around and see more enemy soldiers swarm through the doors amidst the action. His breath hitched at his throat as he spied Keith, fighting off five soldiers with his one bayard. He wouldn't be able to fight off all these soldiers by himself, especially not at such a close range.

"Keith!" The Cuban boy could hear himself call out, "retreat! Get on the ship, I can blast them from a longer distance!" 

The red paladins head snapped up from his position, nodding along to Lances plan; knowing their was no point in protesting as it was clearly the best last minute plan they could clasp out of thin air. Within moments, he'd escaped from the small group of Galra that had been crowded around his being. 

Lance could feel himself let out a sigh of relief as he watched the red paladin retreat to his welcoming lion, who's eyes glowed a harsh blue when Keith had jumped inside of his unhinged jaw. The lion let out a deep growl of satisfaction, before snapping its mouth shut and beginning to guide itself off the ship. 

"Paladin of blue! Look out!" A small voice called from among the remaining crowd of trembling citizens, eyes wide in fear. But before said paladin had even a slither of time, their was a blow being placed at the back of his head. 

Yelling out in pain, Lance dropped to his knees, clutching his helmet protected skull in agony, a harsh ringing settling in the pits of his ears. Cruel fingers gripped at his upper arms, digging under his armpits as he attempted to fight the Galra soldiers whom were currently dragging him away through his struggles.

In the back of his mind, blue called to him, a worried tone hinted at her voice.

"Go!" Lance chocked out through the searing pain, "take them back to the castle, quick!" 

The blue lion knew not to disobey her masters orders, and with an encouraging roar she recoiled herself off the ship, jaw snapping shut and protecting the, now saved, prisoners inside. 

As he watched his lion disappear into the depths of space, Lances eyes grew heavy, hands relaxing under the soldiers forever tighenting grip as the world around him slowly began to fade away. 

Everything went black.


	3. Chapter 3

At last, each of the lions had nested themselves in their designated room of the large Castle that the paladins called their home. The black lion had endured damages after its long lasting attack from the Galra, yet it still stood tall. Shiro stepped out of its wide open jaw, a proud grin spread across his face. 

"Well done paladins!" He applauded, fingers resting steadily on his hips, posture straight and broad like usual. "And Allura, I'd no idea you were so skilled with fighter jets." He complimented sincerely, making the young princess practically beam with pride.

Coran appeared at the doorway, racks of supplies trailing behind him. They contained stacks upon stacks of food, blankets, and medical care that they may need. "Alright my friends!" The ginger praised, "great job, as per usual!" 

"Man, I felt like I was gonna be sick when all those Galra were charging towards us." The yellow paladin chuckled, stepping out from the front of his lion and making his way over to the racks, pulling out supplies ready for the citizens.   
"Hunk." Pidge smirked, pushing the overly rounded glasses back up her nose, "you were sick." 

"Pffft, whatever." 

"Keith, Lance? We are prepared for you to let the Civilians out of your lions now." Allura called out, overwhelmed cheerfulness detected in the bright smile of her voice. She'd always feel this way after saving those in need, it made her feel as though her 1000 years stranded inside a sleeping pod was worth it.  
As if on que, the red and blue lions mouths each dislocated from its hinges, revealing the crowds of now free families clinging onto one another. 

The red paladin stepped out of his lion, helmet tucked under his arm as he used his free hand to rake back his severely messy mullet. His face was still burning red from the fight against the Galra he'd just been involved with, but pride swelled in his lips. They'd done it, he and Lance had saved the civilians without even an ounce of argument. 

He could finally tick that off his bucket list. 

In a mostly orderly fashion, the aliens began to pile off the lions, parents holding children's hands and couples clutching onto one another. The ones that weren't as overwhelmed or shaken up thanked each of the paladins, hands held over their heart and indebted emotions swarming their tiresome eyes.

"The paladin of blue." One of them spoke up, an edge to his voice. "You shall be retrieving him, right? Or does he perhaps have the ability to escape the Galran empire himself? 

"Lance?" Pidge spoke up, questioning the alien whom had brought up the unknown subject, "what do you mean? Lance came back with Keith." 

Each of the teams eyes flickered over to the red paladin, who was stood frozen still, bottles of water tight in his grasp from when he'd been handing them out only moments ago.   
Now that he thought about it... 

He didn't even see his team mate get into his lion.

"Keith, you did make sure that Lance travelled back alongside you in the blue lion, right?" The princess interrogated, a grave expression pressed against her features, covering the smile she'd worn previously. "...right?" 

The room in which they stood had fallen quiet now, the only sounds being the muffled whispers of aliens surrounding them, and chewing noises projected as they munched on the first proper meal they'd had the ability to eat in months. 

"I don't...." Keith shook his head slowly, trying to recall what had happened during their mission to retrieve the kidnapped civilians. "He told me to get in my lion so that he could shoot from a longer range, but"-

"The paladin of blue did not return to his station inside the blue lion." A seemingly young female alien piped up, her child latched to her hip as he tiredly hydrated himself. "He ordered for the blue lion to leave without him, as he was injured and the Galra had already got their hands on him." 

Her tone was soft, husky as though she'd been crying for quite some time. She probably had, too. The conditions in which they were kept could only be described as inhumane, where she'd been seperated from her only child for weeks, maybe months on end.   
The urgency of the situation did not match her tired spirit.

Hunks hand flew to his face, covering his mouth in order to stifle a shocked gasp, "Oh man, I feel like I'm gonna throw up." He declared, earning a comforting pat on the back from the the eldest Altean, who also shared a grave feeling in the pits of his lurching stomach. 

"Keith." Shiro said, his voice shaded yet stern, "what happened?" 

The younger paladins eyebrows furrowed and his lips pressed themselves into a thin line. "I told you what happened." He exasperated, fingers curling over the plastic bottles so that they made a crinkling sound, "the mission was going so well, and then the Galra- and, and I was fighting them while he- and then he told me to get into my lion so he could"-

In situations like these Keith either lost his temper, or started to ramble. Sometimes both. 

He could recall one time in the Garrison he was being accused of skipping class by Iverson, which, granted, he had been. But the head of the Garrison had been yelling at him, pointing a finger at his chest and called him "undedicated to his work here," and informing him of the fact he was coming upon his "last warning." 

This was one of the few circumstances where Keith both snapped and rambled. He'd yelled at the superior, rambling in harsh words about how he'd skip class too if he was visiting his dads grave on his birthday, before hurling multiple insults at the gawking teachers face. 

Shiro knew of these habits that Keith had, which is why he paced forwards and gently placed his hand on keiths shoulder before he could reach the part where his anger began to bubble among the surface. He gave him a nodded, not needing to say anything as Keith knew this was his way of telling him to calm down before it was too late. 

"Guys." Pidge's voice rung out, breaking the silence between the paladin. As soon as the word of Lances non existing return had gotten out she'd immediately taken action in the only way she could... using technology. 

"I tried tracking the Galra ship." She started, her face slowly going pale, "but it disappeared because the ship uses light speed travel. There's no way of finding out where he is."


	4. Chapter 4

"What do you suppose we do with him?" 

There was a pause, only a moment long, but to the blue paladin who lay still on the cold, hard floor it felt like an eternity. He knew he could move, but there would be no point in trying to his escape as they'd probably just knock him out again. After only a short while he'd realised his weapons had been confiscated, which was a bummer because he was quite attached to that gun. 

"We should take him to the Witch." 

"Haggar? Shouldn't we take him to Zarkon?" 

"Zarkon will just tell us to take him to Haggar though."

"Yeah, that is true."

Lance gawked at their conversation from his uncomfortable position sprawled against the ground. They were acting like this was a casual discussion, and weren't sending a paladin of Voltron to his possible death.  
He knew that he needed to do, or say something before it was too late.

"Are you guys gonna carry on chattering about my fate, or are you gonna let me go before it's too late?" He smirked, sitting himself up and dusting off his armour. "Because really, if that's the case then"- 

He was cut across with a harsh hurl across his face, and with a helmet no longer there to protect him, the fist of the attacker connected with his jaw, sending him flying across the floor. Agonising pain surged through the blue paladins jaw which caused him to groan dramatically as he picked himself up off the predictably uncomfortable floor.

"What the hell, man?" He huffed, cradling his own face in the palm of his hand, "its gonna bruise!" 

Lance hated bruising, and he bruised easily too. One time back in the garrison, he stubbed his big toe on the side of one of the training jets and a big purple bruise spread from the tip of his toe and travelled right across the his heel.   
Hunk had ended up giving him a piggyback ride to their dorm room. 

The paladin of Voltron was stood up now, faced with a sickeningly large gun pointed directly at his face. Lance froze in his position, raising his hands up to the sides of his head and nodding slowly. He knew that these soldiers wouldn't kill him. Well, not until that witch Haggar ordered them to. 

"Hands behind your back, paladin." One of them barked fiercly, taking out a tough pair of handcuffs and roughly clipping them over the paladins wrists. The gun that the other had been pointing at him was now barely inches away from Lances face, threatening him with every breath he took. "Now move it, Haggar is waiting." 

The Cuban nodded, following the two guards with small movements and staring straight ahead so that he didn't have to face any of their considerably ugly Galran features. Lance had to admit to himself that he'd seen quite a few good looking Galra before. Both men and women. But these two were not part of that category.

Holding a gun to his head, the Galra snarled, and Lance decided he was definitely the ugliest.   
Without question.  
He had the same piercing yellow eyes that all of their species had, and large pointed ears that stuck out of the sides of his temples too. There were faded tattoo patterns decorating the scars on his face, tracing downwards and ending at the depth of his bucked jaw. Teeth spouted from his thin, chapped lips which only caused him to drool and spit every time he spoke. 

The boy would give him a 3.5/10, which he decided was quite generous.

The other.... was considerably more handsome. Although, it still wasn't up to the blue paladins standards of beauty. His face was really long, like out of a strange cartoon. His eyes were sharp and nose upturned, which usually Lance didn't mind, but it wasn't a great look on this guy. Sharp and stout teeth emerged from his upper lip and flat, purple, hair sat beside his obvious ears.

He'd earned himself a solid 5/10. If that.

Lance had a habit of getting lost in his own world of observation, especially whenever he felt under pressure, or anxious. And in this case, the young paladin was definitely both. It was something his older sister had taught him to do.   
Early-teen Lance had really bad anxiety issues that would make him fidget and wriggle around like anything, but when Veronica suggested he try focusing all his attention on one thing, it all gradually calmed down.

"We're here."

Snapping out of his, 'Hot or Not Reality Tv Show' imagination, Lance took in a deep breath before entering the room in which he'd find out his eventful fate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m really sorry about how short some of these chapters are. I am used to uploading on Wattpad where the chapters tend to seem longer....   
> I am also enduring lots of schoolwork while writing a BananaFish fanfiction right now too😅 I hope you’re enjoying what I’ve written so far! -Jess


	5. Chapter 5

"A paladin of Voltron?" The witch grimaced, her lips curling underneath the dark hooded cloak that sat heavily upon her head, disabling any passers by from being able to identify her, what Lance imagined, bitterly cold eyes.

Immediately, the young warrior wondered why that was. Why cover up what Lance considered to be the most compeling part of ones face? In all honesty, the paladin was offended that he wouldn't be able to access the witches eyes, he wanted to at least know how she was feeling while she decided what she would do with him while captive. 

Its not like it matter much to Lance anyways, he could guarantee that his team were preparing to save him from the Galras hold right this minute. 

"How interesting... and the blue paladin too." 

Any minute now. The Paladins would come barging in with their lions, ready to save him as they always do.

"Its odd," she commented almost too casually, but the edge in her voice was all to identifiable, "I've not really had the privilege of seeing the new generation of paladins up this close before." With a swift motion, she was stood before Lance, who cocked his eyebrow steadily as her frail fingers traced his jaw. It sent an uneasy feeling travelling down the boys spine. "It's a shame there's only one of you here in my precense, today."

Any moment now.   
Lance was sure of it. 

The cocky smile across his lips held confidence; confidence in his team, who never failed to have each other's back.   
"Don't worry," he indulged, tilting his chin away from the witches unsettling touch, "you'll have the privilege of seeing the rest of us soon enough."

Lance did not expect the witches laughter to be so low, it somehow reminded him of a broken air conditioner sending vibrations through thin walls. Although it didn't last long, it lasted long enough for Lances stomach to immediately knot in its pits. 

The woman's curled frown returned to her intimidating face, lips thinning themselves into a straight line as she recoiled from her unnecessarily close position, "Do you know of light speed travel, blue paladin?"

Lance did not answer, honestly wishing his captor would shortern her lengthy, torturous speech and get whatever she wanted to taunt him about over with.

She took his silence as an invitation to assume he didn't know. "In theory, nothing can travel faster than light, we would have to travel six hundred seventy million six hundred sixteen thousand six hundred and twenty-nine miles per hour in order to achieve it." She nodded, grimey fingers hanging loosely at her side, "it would render it impossible for your team to even have the slightest idea where you may be." 

Where is she going with this?   
The Cuban asked himself, furrowing his eyebrows without containing the utter confusion expressed blankly on his face.   
"So?" He asked, voice echoing around the confined room they shared, "what's your point?"

"My point, paladin of blue, is that theoretically, anything is possible." She glowered, frozen in her own position, "including light speed travel."'

Lances mind stood blank for a moment, eyes flickering from his feet planted to the ground and the hooded face peering back at him.   
He hated the fact he couldn't see where she was looking, for all he knew her beady eyes could be staring right into his, catching onto the fact that the paladin had only just realised what she was implying. 

Oh.

A lump overwhelmed the surface of Lances throat and his eyes widened in horror, mouth parting at the change of atmosphere sweeping around his previously confident presence.  
"They... don't know where I am." 

"They do not."

"Oh." 

"So maybe I won't get the privilege of meeting them today afterall."

Her words were hollow, and any hint of emotion they may have held earlier were washed away by the overwhelming static crinkling in the depths of Lances ears. The last time this static occurred was on the first night as a paladin of Voltron, when he'd been lying in his new silky blue Altean sheets, staring at the bland ceiling as the realisation that he wouldn't see his family for a long time washed over him.

"And you," she continued, "you may never have the privilege of seeing them ever again."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof i really enjoyed writing this chapter, writing Haggar was fun! - Jess


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!  
> If you prefer to read on Wattpad then my user is @jld2006_  
> The reading experience for my fanfics is a bit better on there as I know how to use it better and understand how to put italics and bold writing to emphasise the speech while I don’t know how to do that on here....  
> Hope you enjoy this chapter! - Jess

"Pidge, go to bed." 

The paladins were exhausted, mentally and physically. There was no doubt that they would be tired after the mission they'd endured alone, but afterwards they had to provide for all the citizens whom they'd saved, ensuring that any wounds they had were attended to, and that they could eat and sleep as comfortably as possible. 

Then the weight of not having the blue paladin with them was set upon their shoulders. 

Best attempts were made not to talk about it for the time being, as they knew there was nothing they could do, and had to prioritise the alien civilians, no matter how much their own minds protested. 

The black paladin had respectfully forced everyone back into their own rooms, Coran backing him up in the process. "We will be able to focus better tomorrow, if we rest now." The Altean had told them wisely, using the same comforting tone that he always used toward the younger paladins. 

Eventually, and reluctantly, everyone retreated back to their rooms, even Keith, who, when stressed, would fight training bots into stupid hours of the night, only to fall asleep ontop of his covers as morning hit. 

And although Pidge had followed Shiro's orders at first, she'd already planned to sneak out and hide in the technology room where she could hopefully find more signals, and track any Galra ships that could lead to where her captured friend was located, all while biting her blunt nails down to the beds of her fingers. 

"Pidge, go to bed."

The green paladin flinched from her tired, slumped position, head snapping towards the door where Shiro stood in a grey pair of joggers, and loose black pyjama T-shirt. Pidge's sleepy minds first thought was that the man looked like an exhausted dad. His hair a ruffled mess on his head, stubble beginning to forge its way into the sides of his face, and dark lines underneath his eyes. 

Each of the people in the castle knew Shiro always struggled with his sleep.   
Who could blame him?   
He'd been previously captured by the same people that had Lance in their possession right this minute, it probably resurfaced a lot of memories he wishes he'd never made. 

The first few weeks of their adventures as paladins of Voltron Shiro could be heard yelling at early hours of the morning, nightmare indulged dreams breaking him from his needed sleep. The soft patter of feet could always be heard emerging from Keiths room immediately after, his gravelly yet somewhat soothing voice comforting his older brother in a way no one else could.

"Nu uh." Pidge protested, arms folding over her chest as she stared longingly at the screen in front of her. "I don't wanna miss a signal of any sort." 

"Pidge." Shiro retorted, walking into the room and nearing towards the youngest paladin, "you know just as well as I do that there won't be any signal appearing on that screen." 

"But"- 

"No buts, you should be in bed."

"So should you." The green paladin groaned, "you can't stand there and be a hypocrite, Shiro. We're allowed to be worried too." 

The black paladin sighed, his body feeling heavy as he rubbed the bridge of his nose to prevent himself from falling asleep while stood up. "I know." He murmured, "I know." 

He sat down beside the clearly exhausted girl, shoulders slumping as he crossed his legs. "Pidge, we are all worried about Lance right now." The words rolled off his tongue, he was used to giving pep talks by this time, "but right now, I'm worrying about that and making sure everyone gets a decent night of sleep." 

"I'm sorry, Shiro." Pidge said honestly, her lips tugging into a small frown, "I lost my family and there was nothing I could do... I just don't wanna lose Lance too." 

The Japanese man nodded, letting the girl know that he understood the situation. "We won't lose him." He reassured in a soft voice, truth etching into his beliefs, "I promise you, we'll find him. Now let's go, you can check the tracker again tomorrow, okay?" 

"Okay.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made sure to make this chapter a bit longer this time, I love writing Lance dialogue, hope you enjoy!

Lance could recall the night sky, enveloping the small town in a comfortable blanket of darkness, aside from the dim street lamps that offered a hazey yellow glaze, there wasn't much light to be found. Despite the darkness, there were stars, all sewn like sequins into the velvet curtain above. 

He would open his window wide enough to allow himself access to the slanted roof below his room that he'd shared alongside his two brothers, Luis and Marco. He'd plug in his phone to his earplugs, and play soft Spanish music that his mama sung to him when he was young while staring out into the comfort of the darkened distance. 

He'd loved it.

But the oblivion that consumed him now was nothing like what he'd experienced those few years ago on the slated rooftop; there were no dimmed lights to offer comfort, no stars staring down at his being, and no music to offer sound in the silence.

The cell that he'd been thrown into like a worthless doll was oblivion. 

After a long while of humming to himself, and counting each passing second out loud, the still quiet returns, like the thick moment before the start of a thunderstorm. The Cuban didn't know how much time had actually passed. It could have easily been 45 minutes, or maybe 12 hours. 

How was he to know, when there was no source of time allowing him to keep track of it? Only 4 empty walls, branded with darkness that caused a sinking feeling to indulge itself in the pits of Lances stomach. 

Speaking of the pits of his stomach, he was so god damn hungry. He hadn't eaten since breakfast before the mission, and even then all that he had digested was half a bowl of space goo, washed down with the Altean equivalent of coffee. Not once had he ever given Hunks gooey food like substance a second thought, but right now, he'd kill for it without hesitation.

"Hunk buddy." He said out loud, acting as though the yellow paladin was sitting across from him, "my man, I'm sorry for taking your cooking for granted." 

There was no response of course, except for the gargling noises coming from his complaining, empty, stomach. It was enough to make Lance chuckle nervously into the nothingness. 

He dragged himself up off the hard floor, backside aching as if he'd been pressed down into a skip full of bricks and concrete. It only took a moment of stretching upwards to realise just how small the room he was captive in was.   
When flattened, his palms touched the roof above, all while the heel of his bare feet touched the surface beneath him. 

After being dragged silently out of the vast room in which the witch Haggar had opposed her threats, the guards had shoved him mindlessly into a territory that had a single shower, and no toilet.

"Strip, and wash." He'd been ordered.   
Lance had crinkled his nose at the particularly vague command, piercing his lips into a straight line and shaking in his head in protest.   
"Nu uh, man. You could be a perv for all I know." He had accused, hugging his armoured chest with his arms. "There is no way I'm letting you touch this armour, it's sacred stuff." 

"Do you think Haggar gives a shit?" The tallest had spat, the use of his harsh words making Lance flinch in surprise. "Strip. And. Wash."

The paladin gulped, lips going dry as he finally accepted there was no way he was getting out of this situation. He'd considered attacking the two guards, and although it was a temptation, he knew that even if he did win the fight, there were countless other Galra guarding each door of the ship. 

"At least turn around." He had mumbled while his eyebrows raised, fumbling at the armour until it fell at his ankles, leaving him in only the right black suit underneath. Of course the guards hadn't listened, their stone cold faces looking right through the Cuban as he reluctantly tugged off the remains of his clothes, stepping under the shower that drowned his body in glacial cold water.

"What the hell, this stuff is freezing." 

Nevertheless, he'd allowed the water to caress his exposed body, even though it unwantlingly left goosebumps in its trail. He had hated to admit that it felt nice to wash away the collected sweat at the back of his neck, and hated that it allowed his chapped lips to become moist once again. 

"Out." 

Lance snapped a look at the guard who'd spoken, almost forgetting that they were stood right there this whole time. "Let a boy shower for crying out loud." He'd groaned, before following orders and stepping out from underneath the sprinkling water, shivering nakedly and feeling uncomfortable in his exposed skin. 

The smaller Galra had been holding a bundle of loose, bright yellow clothes in his fist, before tossing them into the arms of the dripping wet human.

"I'm not even dry."

"I don't care. Put them on." 

With a gawped sigh, Lance had complied, pulling on the much too big clothes, the material sticking loosely onto his damp body as the water collected in a puddle around his bare toes. He didn't even get socks. 

The two had cuffed him once again, their fingers gripping possessively into the soft skin of his forearm, warning him that if he dared to tense, a bruise would be left in its presence. 

"Welcome to your new home, paladin." The shortest had snarled, before leaving Lance in an empty box for a room. "You would have company if you and your team hadn't taken the librety of setting those scums free." 

The boy had decided there was no point in retaliating against there harsh words anymore, they were the ones in power now. He was merely a prisoner, cuffs holding his fists in front of his own body, like an animal that needed to be contained. 

"What happens if I need to piss?" Lance had asked with tiresome sarcasm etched into his voice, not bothering to bite back the swear like he usually did. "Do i not get the bucket?" 

A hint of a grin could be seen at the soldiers lips, it was unsettling in the way that made the humans skin crawl, the colour and cocky smile draining from his face. "You have a whole room to yourself to piss and shit in, use the corner." 

And with that, the door had shut, leaving Lance in the dark abyss of his own personal toilet.


	8. Chapter 8

Lances eyes had only just shut before they jerked open again, the violet tinted light violently intruding the cell that he'd spent the night in, greeting Lance with a bitter morning welcome. Honestly, the prisoner didn't even know if it was morning or not, he'd refused to let himself go to sleep. 

There was still a slither of hope that the paladins would find him soon. Right?

Being left alone with his thoughts was never a good environment for the teen to be in; even before Voltron the anxiety of his own mind crept along his thoughts, a silent threat grinning at his worries and insecurities. It wasn't until only moments ago that Lances heavy eyes had began to force themselves shut, despite being fully accustomed to the surrounding darkness. Well, that was before he was rudely inturrupted by the frightening sound of the door smacking the wall as it was swung open.

Lance stated up at the Galran guard in a dazed confusion.

"On your feet." She ordered with bite to her voice. It was clear to Lance that she must be a soldier or something of the sort, judging by her posture, broad shoulders, and the way her eyes were sharp with focus. Only when Lance tiredly stumbled to his feet could he spy the uneven image of her left leg. Comparing it to Shiros arm, the blue paladin came to the conclusion that she must have been wounded in battle, and no longer able to fight. Reduced to being a guard that patrolled the lonely walls.

She immediately gripped his arm, not hesitating to dig in her abnormally thick fingers into his skin as he tripped up beside her. The height difference between them felt foreign to Lance. He was used to towering over others, except for Hunk who stood only 2 inches taller. Despite this, Lance didn't count the yellow paladin because he couldn't try to be threatening for the life of him; it was one of the many things Lance adored about his friend.

He needed a hug from him now. 

Back when the team he called family first found one another, there was way too much going on to so much as grasp the allowance of feeling overwhelmed.   
The day was rough as it was, being yelled at, and degraded by Iverson after another failed attempt at a flight simulator. Laughed at by the class while being told he'd only been given this position because Keith got thrown out in the first place. Then, seeing said Keith while trying to save his personal, supposed-to-be-dead hero. Only moments later, he'd found a big ass blue alien space ship that only worked for him (no pressure), and then quite literally leaving his home planet. 

Oh, and he was rejected by the most beautiful alien space princess he'd ever laid his eyes on. 

Hunk had been there for him after that long, tiresome day. The yellow paladin had been the only one who knew of his anxieties and the overwhelming emotions that easily took ownership of Lance. Whenever he saw Lances face fall he'd set his large yet undoubtedly soft hands on his shoulder, and coax him back to reality. 

But there was no one to do that in these unfamiliar surroundings. The only weight on his shoulders were the woman's grip moving up to them, as Lance was reluctantly shoved into a room that smelt vaguely like burnt toast.   
"Sit." 

An unsettling feeling churned in his stomach, every organ in his body suddenly becoming aware of their own existence, brain overloading itself with a thousand thoughts accompanied by a buzzing noise attempting to drown them out. 

He sat. 

"Paladin of blue, I'm glad you could make it." A familiar voice greeted from the dark shadows lingering in the corner, "I do hope you slept well." The witches tone was mocking him, feeding him that dreaded feeling once again. 

The prisoners eyes drifted off in her direction, and he bit back a smirk. "Oh sure thing, five out of five, I'll be leaving good reviews for sure." He was used to covering up his fears with unnecessarily cocky comments; but for once the shake was visible in his voice. "I'll even leave a tip if breakfast is included." 

Haggar emerged. The usual cloak was presented upon her head, covering the piercing eyes underneath as habitual. Each step she took was swift; as a dancer Lance could tell that she was light on her feet, silence echoing around him, leaving only his breathing being audible among the room. And although elegant, the witch's back hunched, shoulders drooping and spine aching.

"You have quite the mouth on you, don't you, paladin?" Haggar hummed, thin lips curling over, "nothing of importance to say, yet you speak anyway?" 

"Actually, breakfast is the most important meal of the day." Maybe humour would help release the torturous buzzing in his ears, and sickening feeling at his throat. 

The captor tutted against her tongue. "Im sure that we'll get that mouth to say something a lot more of use to us soon enough." She nodded, eyeing him through the purple material covering the majority of her creased face, "won't we, paladin?"

Lance cringed each time she addressed him. "Lance." He blurted, not wanting to be called paladin for much longer, it made him feel degraded, like he wasn't him. "I have a name, and it isn't paladin. It's Lance." 

He regretted what he said. 

"Your identity was stripped away from you the very day you undeservingly pulled on the armour." She spat, voice no longer composed as it once was, "do you really think for a singular moment that you would be anything more than paladin? No matter how many lives you save, no matter how many wars you win, no one will ever know you much more than the blue paladin."

Lances eyebrows furrowed in confusion. This outburst was unexpected to him, and he could only wondered what had triggered the witch to act in such a way.

With a shuddered sigh and a prompted step, she was merely inches from Lances face. "Tell me, paladin, do you know the name of the previous man who held the position of blue?" 

There's a pregnant pause, sadistic as the realisation of his answer caught at Lances throat. His head slowly shook from side to side, tongue run dry. 

"As I thought." The witch recoiled, stepping back from her position, hands falling to the front of the dark cloak she bore, fingers threading through one another like woven string. "I knew him." 

"I knew him very well." She nodded slowly, and Lance was sure that a hint of sadness could be detected, etched away in her stone cold voice. "His name was Blaytz, not that you care. If you cared about such things then you would have asked by now, you would've asked that princess of yours." Her feet began to pace. "Blaytz set the requirements of being the blue paladin, as did they all. He was a good soldier until the end."

Lance didn't want to ask about the end. Despite the increasingly uncomfortable atmosphere surrounding his tensed up self; he craved more knowledge.

The witch hummed as she continued, she didn't care if the paladin sat before her wanted to hear of these things, he was merely a rat under the sole of her shoe. "The Blue Lion requires someone free spirited and empty minded, but who also has an unrealized potential for greatness. That's what Blaytz was, a whole smile on his face, mind at ease. He had so much potential." 

The silence that followed deafened Lance, his focus solely left on the finger she used to trace the length of his jaw. 

"But you... while free spirited, your mind is full to the brim." She tutted with the shake of her head, "I can hear it, it's practically surrounding you, I can feel the presence of your thoughts, child." Her hands returned to the front of her body, "they're loud."

The facade Lance had been holding strong slipped for a second, corners of his mouth turning down, eyebrows creasing into one another as he tried to make sense of his captors words. He shook it off.  
"Haggar, babe, I'm an open book, free as a bird." He chuckled through a forced smile, "I've watched enough movies to know you're trying to manipulate me, make me feel worthless." 

"Not once did I say you were worthless." She grimaced, and Lance wondered if the tiny tug of her lips was created out of amusement, "its in your head, isn't that right paladin? You... feel worthless. I suppose that must stem from something; perhaps it's what you perceive from the other current paladins of Voltron?"

Lances eyes widened in a disgusted feeling he didn't want feel. It creeped up on him slowly, possessing his mind with a poison that abducted the depths of his chest, spreading among each bone in his body until it reached the tip of each finger; the tip of each toe. Perplexity sunk in. 

He pierced his lips, "we are a family, we support one another in the ways we can and no one can convince me otherwise, Witch." 

Haggar let out a shaken sigh, "it's nice that amongst the negativity in your much conflicted mind can linger on such hopeful thoughts," she was stood frozen once again, the stillness of the room would make Lance forget there was a still a guard stood at the door. "Yet you know on the surface of your intellect that you are last minute nobody's, forced to fight a war you have no part of." 

Lances mouth felt dry. He wanted to go home. Not back to the castle, but to home. 

"You don't want to be here," Haggars eyes narrowed, "the aroma of longing to be somewhere else is reeking from your own human form."

The paladin let out a chuckle, different to the one from before. No longer sarcastic, but bitter with a worry, "I don't think anyone would want to be here right now, strapped to a chair, man, it's inhumane." 

"I don't mean here. I mean with Voltron. You don't want to be there." She hung her head, "there's that word again, worthless." She clicked her tongue, "it burns in your brain, sits on the tip of your tongue and rolls off your words with no effort at all. But paladin... you're not worthless to me, not for a moment."

His throat is like glass; much too tight to muster out the words. But he didn't need to, the witch was already answering his question.

"Your perplexing fantasy of feeling useful will be fulfilled as soon as you tell me some... information."


End file.
